Israeli minister says IDF should have fired on unarmed Palestinian protesters for humiliating a soldier

That video of Palestinian women protesters pulling down an Israeli soldier in Nabi Saleh on Friday when he was beating a boy has shocked the world. Well, it has shocked an Israeli leader too. Israel’s culture minister Miri Regev says that the unarmed protesters should have been shot.

Regev said she wanted to change the army’s policy on the use of live-fire because of the “humiliation” the soldier endured.

“We need to decide immediately that a soldier that is attacked is permitted to return fire. Period. I call on the minister of security to put an end to the humiliation and change the open fire regulations immediately!” Regevwrote in a Facebook statement.

“Anyone who tries to harm Israeli civilians and soldiers needs to know his blood is in his head,”Regev continued, using a Hebrew expression to convey that the Palestinians who assaulted the soldier are fair game for shooting.

A spokesperson for the IDF said Friday that Palestinians were to blame for the incident: “A violent disturbance of the peace in Nabi Saleh, in which Palestinians threw stones at IDF forces that were in the place.” The spokesperson added that the soldier was attempting to detain 12-year old Mohammed Tamimi after he allegedly threw stones at the Israeli military.

For the Tamimi’s the brawl was a victory, and celebrated across the front pages of Palestinian newspapers on Saturday. The footage and stills show a soldier applying force against a Palestinian boy with a casted arm in an attempt to arrest him. Yet the arrest does not take place, as a half dozen female Palestinian, including young girls, slap, bite, bash and choke the soldier who calls for back-up, but ultimately abandons arresting the boy.

There is a bit of folklore around the Nabi Saleh protesters. The town’s children are known to chase down soldiers during protests, and punch, hit, and kick them. In 2012 Ahed Tamimi—the girl in the pink shirt and braids in the video above, then 12, was filmed throwing a right-hook at a soldier.She was later honored by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with an award in courage.

Regev is a former spokesperson for the Israeli army. Her comments were first reported to us by two reliable journalists. Ira Glunts:

Crazy Israeli minister @regev_miri was shocked by Nabi Saleh video. She thinks soldier should have opened fire.

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European news outlets are reporting that the Berlin Philharmonic and the Iranian government are in talks about a concert that would take place in Tehran. The rumors of a possible performance are the latest sign of growing cultural and economic ties between Iran and the West, since the signing of the nuclear agreement between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 powers last month.

When word of the possible event reached the local press, Regev reacted angrily on her Facebook page.

“The conductor, Daniel Barenboim, a citizen of Israel, will perform in Iran together with the Berlin Philharmonic,” Regev wrote. “Barenboim has taken an anti-Israel stance and he makes sure to slander Israel while using culture as leverage in order to state his political opinions against the State of Israel. This is a mistake by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.”

Regev said she intends to write a letter to the German government, urging it to intervene in the matter.

“Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism,” she continued. “It supports Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and Hamas, and its leaders have blood on their hands. I believe that Germany would do the right thing if it would cancel the performance.”

Just a word of news: apparently some authorities in Iran noticed that Barenboim is an Israeli citizen, and nixed the visit. Over there, culture is under “parliamentary” branch of the government, and justice (and visas?) under “theocratic” branch.

The Nazi playwright Hanns Johst used this line in his 1933 piece of agitprop theater Schlageter: „Wenn ich Kultur höre … entsichere ich meinen Browning.” [“When I hear the word ‘culture’ … I loosen the safety catch on my revolver.”] (The quotation is often wrongly attributed to Goering.)

A standard but odd translation. The original specifies that it is a Browning, but not that it is a revolver. Browning automatics are well known to readers of crime fiction; Browning revolvers less so. I wonder why the translator did not leave it at “Browning”.

I looked into it, must say the translator did a fine job by avoiding the word “Browning”. The Belgian brand wasn’t very well known in the US or even the UK (evokes a poet more than a gun), while it had become the current word for handgun in street German in 1933. It seems to me that the translator used “revolver” instead of “pistol” because Revolver was (and still continues to be, in some regions) a standard word for handgun, no matter if revolver or not. So that is a Germanism.

That’s interesting. By the time I was young (yes, notably later than 1933) the brand had become well known for automatics. For me, the word (when not preceded by “Robert” or “gravy”) evokes detectives in trench coats. “Revolver” evokes the Wild West and British Army officers.

For sure, she’s looking a lot more matronly these days. That picture must be at least 15 years old. The IDF could have used the Hannibal option on this soldier; maybe that’s why he looked so terrified. And of course, the soldier is the victim here, those Palestinian females were armed to the teeth, I mean using their teeth as weapons! He’s lucky to be alive isn’t he?

I watch that video over and over again, but fast forward to the part where he is unmasked and then rescued by his comrade and throws a stun grenade or whatever it was at the women and children. Looks like a spoiled brat who lost the game.

It is easy to take it light. I see a thoroughly confused conscript, briefly trained how to harass villagers, and then loosing helmet, loosing contact with other troops, basically disoriented and lost. But psychologically primed for action.

UPDATE (Aug 30): On August 29th, the day after the incident, the IDF filed a complaint with the Israeli Police. Officials from the Samaria and Judea District police force told the Hebrew-language news website 0404 that “the attackers are well-known and will be arrested soon.”

Yesterday I opined that the slug might be the object of ridicule, I must now retract that and assert that most of the IDF seems to be composed of thugs or people too intimidated or apathetic to hold said thugs accountable.

Annie – an Israeli activist who was present, Hertzel Shubert, has been “outed” as a high school teacher and a campaign started for him to be fired – info via Miko Peled’s fb. (Will jon s and any of his colleagues stand up to support him?)

The more I think about the “controversy” the sicker it gets. The soldier is being criticized for NOT shooting unarmed women and girls.

Israel is seriously effed up. I saw on Twitter an Israeli cartoon where the artist had juxtaposed the soldier, arms in the air, with that iconic photo of the little boy being marched down the street of the Warsaw ghetto. I couldn’t read the Hebrew but I think the artist was alleging that the “rules of engagement” tie soldiers’ hands and leave them defenseless against “violent” Palestinians. Oh and did I mention that there was a Palestinian lady smirking in the background carrying a sling shot?

Remarkable, that with all the Israeli or Sunday-schooled family and friends the site owners boast of you don’t get someone to translate the stuff. I’m sure many discussants would be ready to do a favor.

Regrev is on record as saying Israel’s enemy is the entire Palestinian people and that the mothers should be killed since they produce “little snakes.” How she differs from the most ardent historical Nazis regarding the Jewish people, I don’t know. The logic is the same. I read that lots of Jewish Israelis have read Mein Kampf and many have dog-eared copies of that book. Don’t know if that’s true. Makes me wonder if Hitler didn’t win after all. Have you ever read his last political testament? And Hagee has called Hitler God’s hunter; Hitler himself said he was called on his mission by “Divine Providence.”

RE: “Regev’s twitter account says she was shocked by the incident: ‘Our soldiers can’t be sent on missions with tied hands’ ”

WHAT REGEV MEANS BY “TIED HANDS”: “Israeli Troops Furious at New West Bank Rules of Engagement”, by Jason Ditz, Antiwar.com, August 12, 2015
• Troops Can’t Shoot Fleeing Palestinians in the Back Anymore

Israeli soldiers are acting with outrage tonight after news that the military has temporarily revised the rules of engagement for combat soldiers in the occupied West Bank, centering on efforts to prevent gunfire except in genuine cases of threats to the lives of soldiers.

The ban, for instance, explicitly forbids shooting fleeing rock-throwers in the back, and likewise warns that if a car runs through a checkpoint without trying to run people over, the military isn’t to just fire willy-nilly into the sides of it. This is a huge change for the Israeli military’s standard operations in the West Bank.

Israeli soldiers termed the new rules “bizarre,” saying they are all in “total shock” at the sudden efforts to tamp down shooting at Palestinians, and with several saying they believe that the reduction in shootings will lead to more terror attacks across Israel.

The Israeli military has downplayed the change, saying the new specific rules were only meant to clarify what was supposed to be policy all along, that troops not fire unless there is a “clear and immediate danger.” Given how broadly soldiers have previously interpreted their freedom to fire on Palestinians, and done so with impunity, it seems the clarification was a long-time coming.

I guess the mighty Israel must now save face. This woman shows the usual ruthless streak found in many zionists by suggesting unarmed women and children must be shot at. If these were the terrorist settlers, the tune would have been different. Their disregard for human lives when it comes to the Palestinians is unbelievable. I wish the Palestinians were armed too, then these occupiers will be more cautious.

Israel moves ever closer to mirroring its persecutors of the past. World Leaders cannot leave the Israeli Problem unaddressed. Defending Israel has become impossible and its criminal actions can no longer stay hidden nor can they go unpunished. Israel deserves no support nor any sympathy.

Amen to the last sentence. There is no justification for the most democratic nation in the world, to keep aiding and supporting what has become a rogue nation, that defies international laws, and arrogantly disregards world condemnation while continuing an illegal occupation. How many times will the US keep protecting it at the UN, keep sending weapons, ammunition, and makes excuses for the periodic massacres which results in the deaths of thousands of women and children. There is a limit to the insanity. I do agree that they now resemble those who persecuted them years ago. The bullied often becomes the bully.

“Regev” means “clod” as in “clod of dirt.” Regev’s popularity as a new Hebrew name comes from the infatuation of Zionists with land and soil. Seems to have caught on in particular with two Israeli spokesmen, Mark and Miri. Miri may be able to point to her parents for being called a clod; Mark has only himself to blame.

“Father of IDF Soldier Attacked by Palestinians Says Proud of Son’s Restraint
If women had been hurt, the incident ‘would have ended in a completely different way,’ father tells Army Radio; Palestinian girl seen on video tells Channel 2 soldier used too much force.”

Ahed used too much force. The stupid burns.

“In the Army Radio interview, the father called the incident an “unpleasant provocation,” adding that while he doesn’t know if the scuffle was planned in advance, “it was no coincidence that there were people and photographers around.”
In response to the question whether the incident could have been prevented had the soldier not chased the teen, who, according to witnesses, didn’t throw stones, the father said: “It’s very easy to sit in the living-room and say what the soldiers ought to have done in that situation, and I won’t do that. I’m convinced that the soldiers had the right instructions on what to do, and these things can happen.”
The father asked not to comment on the soldier’s comrades late reaction to the incident, as seen on the video.”

I think this is how most Israeli Jews see this incident; the “provocation” is on the Palestinian side, not with Israel for taking their land or inflicting racist settlers on them.

A lot of the nasty comments on the many websites that have carried this story insist that it is all faked – as if the IDF would somehow allow a full soldier’s uniform (including mask) and weapon to fall into Palestinian hands. Still, I guess when you’re trying to defend the indefensible, it makes sense (if that’s the right word) to say it didn’t really happen.

If European Jews had had cellphones, who knows what might have been prevented from happening. The fact that Palestinians have access to the same technology everyone else has and uses it, is just a matter of inconvenience for the IDF and settler trash.

P.S.: The provocateurs are the guys and gals in the ugly green uniforms.

P.S.S.: Regev talks about soldiers going on “missions”. What mission was this dipshit on? To kidnap a 12-year-old boy?

inbound39: “Israel moves ever closer to mirroring its persecutors of the past. World Leaders cannot leave the Israeli Problem unaddressed. Defending Israel has become impossible and its criminal actions can no longer stay hidden nor can they go unpunished. Israel deserves no support nor any sympathy.” Not much, against which to argue…
La Regev’s and her cohorts’ illness, however, is deep-seated: it doesn’t admit of a few blinding shafts of light or a few US abstentions at the UN General Assembly causing scales to fall from the eyes. Desperate things, with consequences for humanity thousands of leagues from Tel-Aviv, will be done if/when the ideologues sense that their very ideology is under attack. I’m not sure the world’s adequately prepared for the fact that things will get a lot, lot worse before they have even a chance of getting better.
Zio-pathy can only be treated through the exposition of the Zionist political creed for what it is; and the dismantling of Zionism. Previously, I’ve mentioned the parallels between “de-Nazification” post-WWII and the re-education that will be required for the Zionist majority in Israel, who have grown up in the certain knowledge of their own superiority and entitlement; and without any normal sense of responsibility for the effects of their actions – how can one be responsible for one’s behaviour if every criticism of it is motivated exclusively by religious hatred? It excludes self-criticism or self-discipline.
De-Nazification was not a “walk in the park” and the subjects were often left bereft; bereaved (we’d possibly describe it today as suffering PTSD) because everything they’d believed in was revealed to have been nothing but falsehood – putrid dust at their feet. The Thousand Year Reich lasted 12 years, long enough to indoctrinate roughly two generations: those in their infancy and up to their formative adolescent/adult years in 1933, and those born post-1933 up to, perhaps, 1938/9. In 2015, how many generations have been born into the Zionist state?

Can someone please direct me to where she stated that the IDF should have fired on the protesters involved in this particular incident, as the whole article implies? Granted, I know next to nothing about this minister. Much appreciated.

State Comptroller Joseph Shapira initiated a probe of Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev on Monday relating to an alleged conflict of interest in which she gave a NIS 2.5 million advertising contract to a marketer she knew without holding a public bidding process.

Shapira gave Regev seven days to respond to the allegations as to why she transferred substantial funds without the required bidding process.

Channel 10 reported on Monday night that the police had passed on information to Weinstein to make a decision on the issue, but a spokesperson for Weinstein denied any knowledge of his having received such information.

The NGO, the Movement for the Quality of Government in Israel, also slammed Regev’s actions as grave in light of a recording presented by Channel 10 on Sunday night in which she is heard seemingly coordinating a cover story with two lawyers and her spokesman for explaining the decision.

According to the letter and the recording, Regev gave the contract to advertiser Rami Yehoshua of Yehoshua TBWA for a public campaign called “No-Worries August” that saw her ministry offer free activities across the country because she knew him.

The recordings present Regev as worried as to how to defend her decision legally if she faced conflict of interest allegations and even rejecting an initial explanation by one lawyer as a “bad answer” that does not justify why she gave the contract to Yehoshua.

Reports have not explained Regev’s connection to Yehoshua and she denies that they had any prior connection or that there was a conflict of interest.

The minister lashed out at Channel 10 for “tarring my name” and called the report “defamatory.”

“My lawyer is working… on a letter to Channel 10 with a request to retract the story, and if not, I will file a lawsuit for defamation,” she said.

Regev added that the contract she granted passed through all the necessary legal approvals and explained some of the aspects of her defensive conversation, which sounded like coordinating a cover story as preparation for questions expected from the press. MK Miki Rosenthal (Zionist Union) called for the incident to be investigated, saying that “in a civilized country, Miri Regev would be exiled from public life.”

That statement by MK Rosenthal, I would hope, isn’t just about the routine Israeli government scandals that center around the only god in the zionist state, that being money, but about her horrible remarks complaining that the IDF’s hands are tied regarding fighting back the army of well-toothed Palestinian women and children.

and Israel’s Miri Regev should be tried for war crimes in the first batch of these apartheid war mongers. First you colonize Palestine and systematically start stealing their land and killing them. Every single day there is another death at the hands of the Israel Occupation Forces. You bulldoze their homes, steal their water, restrict their electricity, allow your raw sewage to spill onto Palestinian farm land. You bomb them for no reason other than to perform genocide. The Tamimi family are fighting for survival, fighting for their right to exist with dignity and human rights. Without fear of being shot or murdered. The IOF provoked this attack, they should not be on Palestinian land to begin with. I am so sick of Israel the modern day colonizer, the colonial outpost for the USA. Shame on all of you. Justice will be served and I look forward to seeing your face Miri Regev when the hammer drops. Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Israel’s on the chopping block. End Apartheid. End the Occupation and free Palestine from the iron boot of Israel.

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